Home Economics

All this talk of cakes is making me hungry, it has also got me thinking about how important the kitchen is to a home and most importantly its value. I get asked a lot whether to replace the kitchen before selling a house and whether a new kitchen will increase the value. No is my first answer. It’s costly and personal. Buyers may not like the kitchen you put in. Yes is my answer to the second. A beautiful kitchen can add up to 15% to the value of a home, so if you are buying a new home and want to add value and have a fantastic space in the home for the family, entertaining and baking then spending a a kitchen is worth it. The old adage of the kitchen is the heart of the home is true and I find that people will buy a house if it has a wonderful kitchen. We tend to recommend upgrading a kitchen rather than starting from scratch. Hand-paint the doors, change the handles, replace the worktop and/or upgrade the appliances.

if you are thinking of changing your kitchen here are my tips on making it wonderful and valuable.

Multi-use spaces As patterns of modern life are changing, we’re seeing a strong trend towards multifunctional spaces and less of the traditional separations. Open-plan living is very desirable, particularly with the kitchen now the focal point for home life, the key place for entertaining and socialising.A kitchen with cooking spaces, dining areas as well as sofas and relaxing sections are the ideal.

Mix and match Gone are the days I match my belt and shoes, how very 1990’s. Same goes for kitchens. Don’t match all the furniture and materials in your kitchen. Antique free standing dressers next to brushed steel worktops. A butchers block for a floating island and industrial bar stools.

Hide everything By far the most popular gadget at the moment is the boiling-water tap, providing instant cups of tea and avoiding messy kettle flexes. Even better is one combined with ice-cold water — some people are fitting separate cold, filtered water taps. Stash all that mess away, so no handles on doors, and even switches, plugs and sockets can be hidden. Large cooker hoods were all the rage, now everyone wants integrated hoods that are invisible.